The Only Place I Belong

The evening air was crisp as I stepped out of the hospital, stretching my stiff shoulders. The day had been long, filled with back-to-back patients, and now, all I wanted was to crash on my bed and forget the world for a while.

My phone buzzed in my pocket. A text from Meera.

"Get some groceries on your way back. We're out of milk, eggs... and oh, get some coffee too!

I bet you look like you need it."

I sighed, rubbing my temples. She wasn't wrong. My head throbbed with a dull ache, side effect of running on little sleep and even less caffeine.

Deciding to make a quick stop, I walked into the supermarket near our apartment. The bright fluorescent lights stung my tired eyes as I grabbed a basket, tossing in the essentials without much thought. Finally, I drifted toward the coffee section, picking up a packet before heading to the self-serve coffee machine.

The rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee wrapped around me like a warm hug, momentarily easing the tight knot in my chest. I placed my cup under the dispenser and pressed the button, waiting for the dark liquid to fill it.

And then, another hand reached for the same cup.

My fingers stiffened around it as my heart skipped a beat.

I knew that hand.

I knew it so well that I didn't even have to look up to confirm.

But I did. And there he was, Pranav.

My breath caught in my throat as our eyes met. He looked just the same, yet completely different. Time had sharpened his features; the familiar mischief in his eyes had faded, replaced by something quieter... something unreadable.

For a heartbeat, neither of us spoke.

Then, his lips parted, and his voice came out calm, too calm. Almost as if he had expected this moment all along.

"Small world."

I swallowed, forcing my voice to stay steady. "Guess it is."

The silence between us thickened, heavy and suffocating. My grip tightened around my cup, grounding me.

How long has it been? Nine years? Ten? I had imagined this moment countless times, rehearsed what I would say, how I would explain, how I would apologize. But now, standing in front of him, every word scattered like autumn leaves in the wind.

He was the first to break the silence. "You still drink your coffee black?"

I nodded, managing a faint smile. "And you still take yours with extra sugar?"

A ghost of a smirk played at the corner of his lips. "Some things never change."

But we did.

A thousand questions crowded my mind. Did he hate me? Was he happy? Did he ever think about me the way I thought about him?

Before I could gather the courage to speak, his phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen, then back at me, his expression shuttered.

"See you around, Dr. Khushi," he said, his voice distant yet achingly familiar.

And just like that, he turned and walked away.

I stood frozen, gripping my coffee cup, staring at the space where he had been only moments ago.

How did he know I was a doctor?

I blinked, then looked down at myself. The answer was obvious. My white coat. Of course. A small breath of laughter escaped me, but it faded just as quickly as it had come.

As I stepped out of the store, the weight of our encounter settled over me, heavy and unshakable. For the first time in years, my past didn't feel so far away anymore.

Catching my reflection in a shop window, I groaned internally. Messy bun. Tired face.

A complete mess.

This is how I met him again after all these years?

Great. Just great.